Dotted Bee-fly confirmation

[Heart-shaped World]

Have I over-looked anything here or can I record this as the above species? (Taken 05/04/07.)



Thanks,
Darren.

[haematocephalus]

Darren,

Looks like Dotted Bee-fly, Bombylius discolor, to me - well done for finding it, I'm very jealous!

It's a rare species, so would be good to send the details in to the recording scheme:

Simon Hayhow, Larger Brachycera Recording Scheme, 2 Dreelside, Anstruther, Fife, Scotland KY10 3EF; or e-mail:
simon AT scotfishmuseum.org

Great photo as well, and another insect that is out early this year.

Martin


Martin Harvey
Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre

[Heart-shaped World]

Thanks Martin.

My position at the moment is that I volunteered to be a reserve watcher for one of the trusts last year, not a particularly onerous task really, and so have
tried to id things and keep records of as much as I can. So I'm still at the stage where I see new things nearly every trip out, I think specimens will have to wait another year or so - unless I spot a couple of the things I couldn't id last year.

Another prime example of my inexperience - that's sat on the hard drive for nearly a year! I have to comb back through my pics every time I buy a new field guide or discover a new web resource.
Yes, I am pretty chuffed - has ended the day on a very good note. (Started well; lots of Kites on the way to work, arrived at work and went rapidly downhill, but then this ...)
Best of all, I found it about a mile from where I live and the season is fast approaching again.
I'll certainly send the info off, thanks for that.

Darren

[tristanba]

Hi Darren,

Great find, I'd love to see this one. No doubt you've seen these links but just in case:
NBN Gateway: Dotted bee-fly (Bombylius discolor) grid map

Action plan for Bombylius discolor

Would be worth reporting to Natural England since it does have a BAP. Interestingly, it seems the exact hosts are unknown, so if you manage to find any this year it would be well worth spending time identifying any mining bees Andrena present in the same area.

BW Tristan

[Heart-shaped World]

Thanks Tristan. I have read a fair amount this evening , noticed an NBN record from the adjacent 10km tetrad, which got me thinking ...

I'll have look on Friday now the season has pretty much begun for them and note/snap the Andrena too (good suggestion)! [Good weather please]

Will check the BAP/NE stuff tomorrow. The Lord of the Manor might not be happy?!

Regards,
Darren.

[oxycera]

Once found it in Devon.
Spent 20 years trying to find B.major around Barnsley and still looking.

[Wild-Woman]

What a very nice find! One I would like to see. Saw plenty of B.major in my immediate area last year but B.discolor is not likely to be found here.
Definitely an insect I look forward to seeing in the spring.

[watsthat]

Very nice find Darren,

I was over the moon a couple of years ago when I found bombylius major, (I prefer dark edged bee fly, I don`t know it seems more romantic somehow),in my sons Nottingham garden. When I researched it I found it likes spring flowers particularly grape hyacinth, which was what I found it on. So if you want B.major, let those grape hyacinths spread (they`re pretty invasive anyway).

Pete

[Laurence Clemons]

I have had both B. discolor and B. major in my small garden at Sittingbourne, north Kent. From my experience B. discolor has a shorter flight period (perhaps slightly earlier) than major and, although present with the latter, is generally in smaller numbers.

[eucera]

I find B. discolor in abundance in most years on calcareous grassland sites around Salisbury. I have often seen the females egg-laying in the vicinity of nesting aggregations of Andrena flavipes.